The beloved SUV is finally starting to shed its "gas guzzler" distinction, thanks to vehicles like the new 2013 Explorer SUV from Ford Motor Comp. (F). Ford unveiled this morning its upgraded model, which brings a new marquee submodel, the Ford Explorer Sport.

Ford has been putting a lot of pressure on fellow automakers with its premium package consumer vehicles, which often offer features sets that are quite competitive with its rivals' luxury brand vehicles.

Can't really tell you why it's worse than your diesel truck, but considering it's ~4900lbs which is really heavy, I don't think the mpg rating is that absurd. The new Durango gets about the same mpg, and that weights even more I think.

I'd love to see a diesel crossover available here like in Europe, but alas, that will most likely never happen.

Yay really heavy compared to cars I mean. I know the cummins is like 6600lb which is a full 1700lbs heavier, but that is body on frame vs unibody. As an unibody vehicle the explorer's weight is right up there.

you can't compare apples to oranges here. no matter what you do to a petrol engine (even implementing diesel technologies such as direct injection and turbo charging) it will never beat a diesel.

there is headroom in tuning ecoboost, but their is more headroom with diesel. i've heard of Golf TDI's getting 60mpg with new injectors, tuning and good driving habits. no petrol engine will ever do that in a 3,600lb car for the same reason this 5,000lb truck will never get 30mpg. 25mpg in this suv with 350+hp on tap is pretty good. my 2001 explorer 5.0 had 220hp and could never break 20mpg. it was also substantially less safe.

i really don't understand manufactures' reluctancy to at least offer a diesel option in these to test the waters of demand. there is no accurate way to gauge consumer buying habits until you actually sell a product. even if its special order, put one on the lot for a test drive and i bet a surprising number of people will order them.

quote: i really don't understand manufactures' reluctancy to at least offer a diesel option in these to test the waters of demand.

Say it with me: "Regulations, regulations, regulations."

With the new pollution regulations in markets like California, the "Diesel Advantage" is nearly killed off. What do I mean? With the requirements of DPF (Diesel Particulate Filters) driving down MPG. Research if you don't understand why DPF would drop MPGs so much. The requirement to have to buy and fill Urea, and the fact that diesel fuel regs have pushed it's costs to be considerably greater than even high-test gas (91+ octane). At least in California the majority of diesel economic advantages have been removed. Considering whatever direction California moves for auto sales, the rest of the country follows cause of economics of scale, we thus do not diesel being a very popular option with consumers and automakers.

Disclosure: I owned two diesel F250 trucks, built before the new regulations a 2003 and 2005. My observed MPG kills my friend's 2011 F250 with all the new emissions equipment.

quote: you can't compare apples to oranges here. no matter what you do to a petrol engine (even implementing diesel technologies such as direct injection and turbo charging) it will never beat a diesel.

Your generalization falls a bit short where the latest gasoline engine technologies like Mazda's non-diesel SkyActiv G are concerned. Efficiencies as good as the Skyactiv diesel won't be achieved but current gasoline efficiencies are greatly expanded, even over some diesels and the engine costs are less.